WKU offers state’s first elementary mathematics specialist endorsement

WKU now offers an elementary mathematics specialist endorsement, the first program of its kind in the state. Through a partnership between WKU School of Teacher Education and WKU Online Learning, the Elementary Math Specialist (EMS) Endorsement provides teachers, teacher leaders and math coaches with instruction in math pedagogy, problem solving and assessment with a concentration in technology and diverse learners.

The EMS Endorsement is designed to give professionals both a deep and practical knowledge of the content and pedagogy of elementary mathematics and skills for working with other professionals to develop their mathematical knowledge for teaching in P-5 settings. The program is ideal for math professionals responsible for supporting effective math instruction and student learning at the classroom, school, district or state levels.

According to Cindy Troutman, assistant director of distance learning, the program is 100 percent online, giving math educators flexibility to fit the program into their busy schedules. “Online courses are extremely flexible and convenient,” Troutman said, “so this program is perfect for those who teach full time.”

This 15 credit-hour program may be earned as a stand-alone endorsement, or incorporated into the MAE in Elementary Education, the Planned 5th year program in Elementary Education, the Planned 6th year/Rank I or the EdS in Elementary Education. Students wishing to pursue the endorsement as part of a master’s program must meet the admission criteria for that program.

Applicants must be certified in Elementary Education to qualify and have or be eligible for a teaching certificate for Elementary Education, Grades P-5. The GRE is not required for this program.

Students can begin coursework this summer, but courses are available throughout the year. For information, visit www.wku/edu/online/ems.

Contact: Cindy Troutman, (270) 745-4087 or cindy.troutman@wku.edu

WKU launches custom Facebook app for incoming students

The WKU Office of Creative Web Services in conjunction with the Division of Enrollment Management is launching a custom Facebook application for incoming students.

The “WKU on Facebook” app will be made available by invitation only, beginning on May 16, to students admitted into the Fall 2012 semester.

The release of the app comes on the heels of the success of the “WKU Class of 2015” student Facebook group that gained more than 1,400 members, or nearly one-third of the freshman class.

“We recognize the importance of being available for students and we strive to reach out to them using the communication tools that they use every day,” said Corie Martin, WKU Manager of Creative Web Services. “The unity displayed by the Class of 2015 inspired us to find a more effective way to use Facebook so that our students would get more out of the experience. This new app enables them to connect with one another on a safe and more personal level and encourages them to connect with their classmates and to stay in school when times get tough.”

The WKU on Facebook app enables students to choose from hundreds of categories of interest including residence hall, hometown, major, student activities, and personal areas of interests like entertainment, religious preferences and more. Students can easily meet other students who share similar interests, thus building a support network of friends before they arrive at campus in the fall. In addition, WKU faculty and staff members are active in the group by answering questions and helping students in their transition into life as college students.

“The WKU on Facebook app will be beneficial to students because they will have the support of fellow students, as well as faculty and staff right at their fingertips, all in one location,” said Katie Corbin, campus administrator for WKU Housing and Residence Life.  “Whether they want to meet up with a group of people to study, borrow some milk, or ask questions about a service on campus, they’ll be able to find what they need. Only WKU students and staff can access the app, so it’s a safer way to network within the WKU system. Overall, the app focuses on the whole student, not just their academic or their social lives. It’s a more holistic approach to networking in higher education.”

The WKU on Facebook app will initially be released to the incoming freshmen, but all students will be invited to join the app when they return in August for the fall semester.

Contact: Creative Web Services, webservices@wku.edu

‘Red, White, and WKU’ selected as theme for Homecoming 2012

“Red, White, and WKU” has been selected as the theme for Homecoming 2012 activities Oct. 15-21.

The Hilltoppers will face Louisiana-Monroe in the Homecoming football game at 3 p.m. Oct. 20 at Houchens Industries-L.T. Smith Stadium.

“Homecoming is a special time on the WKU campus when students, faculty, staff and alumni together show great pride in the WKU Spirit,” said Ginny Hensley, director of Alumni Programming. “With the presidential election a few weeks away, this year’s Homecoming Committee chose the patriotic theme of ‘Red, White, and WKU’ to not only show pride in WKU, but also to show pride in our country.”

The schedule of Homecoming 2012 activities will be available later this summer in the WKU SPIRIT magazine and on the Alumni Association’s website.

Contact: Ginny Hensley, (270) 745-4395.

Buck$ for Bright Ideas awards give 13 winners a chance to pursue dreams

The 13 winners in the 2012 Buck$ for Bright Ideas program are one step closer to making their business dreams a reality.

“We will be meeting with each winner to determine their needs and we will tailor the award to meet those needs,” said Doug Rohrer, Associate Vice President for Research and Development at WKU and Executive Director of the Central Region Innovation and Commercialization Center.

About $30,000 worth of services will be awarded to the winning entries, Rohrer said.

Buck$ for Bright Ideas is a publicly funded program that encourages residents in the 26-county Central Region to move forward with their ideas. This year’s program attracted 125 entries with winners selected in three categories: Game Changer, Big Thinker and Dreamers.

Ron Rizzo of Bowling Green received a Game Changer award for his business concept for an underwater submersible. “The concept for the new design of underwater submersible has several market paths ranging from services to the Transportation Department for bridge inspection, research in the field of underwater exploration, and hobbyist use,” he said. “The Buck$ for Bright Ideas program helps to move the concept forward by providing the resources that are required for the commercialization of the product or business plan.

“With the partnership of the ICC and the support from Doug Rohrer and Jeff Hook at the early stages of the process, I hope to make an easy transition into the business incubator ounce the company becomes a viable entity,” Rizzo said.

One of the Big Thinker award recipients was WhyWait CEO Eric Littleton, whose company has developed a smartphone app that lets customers know restaurant wait times, their happy hours, events, menus and deals.

“Buck$ for Bright Ideas will assist in the advancement of our business by financing the cost required to turn our ideas and plans into an operable software product,” Littleton said. “Ideas are easy to come by, but turning them into a tangible system generating revenue requires a substantial amount of money and devotion of time.”

Most award winners aren’t ready to publicly discuss their ideas and business concepts, but expressed appreciation for the assistance provided by the Central Region ICC.

“At this time, I’m unable to disclose the idea for the company, but the staff and team at Buck$ for Bright Ideas have really helped this project of mine move forth and put me in touch with the right people who are able to lead me ahead,” said Big Thinker award recipient Trey Copeland of Bowling Green.

Winners receive free services from regional professional firms for market research, patent research, accounting support, product design help and more. All applicants are eligible to receive one-on-one assistance with their idea at no charge.

“I would like to express my gratitude to the program for the opportunity it allows small business owners and individuals with ideas and concepts that can propel Kentucky forward,” said Scott Norris, a Dreamers award recipient from Owensboro.

The Central Region ICC’s services to help commercialize an innovation and develop a business model to create jobs in the region provide a great opportunity for budding entrepreneurs, said Samuel Hunt, a Dreamers recipient from Bowling Green.

“While I cannot divulge much about my idea, I can say that there are 600 million users of the antiquated equipment that I am attempting to modernize,” Hunt said. “The invention could potentially transform the way they all perform a certain leisure time activity and open the door for even more avid professional and recreational users in the future.”

Other recipients also said the awards would allow them to continue pursuing their innovative ideas.

“My grandmother, Julie Klug, and I are quite happy to be among those selected for prizes in the 2012 Buck$ for Bright Ideas program,” Big Thinker recipient Erin Greunke of Bowling Green said. “It validated the years of work that have gone into creating and developing my grandmother’s idea. The program has given us a renewed boost to continue working toward getting the idea to market.”

Dreamers award recipient Jenniffer Dixon of Elizabethtown agreed. “It’s nice to know that my bright idea isn’t just a good idea in my head alone but that other people find it interesting and worth looking into,” she said. “I’m excited and look forward to making this idea a reality and the Buck$ for Bright Ideas program will hopefully help me move in the right direction and achieve that reality.”

Even the Buck$ for Bright Ideas applicants who didn’t receive awards have ideas that need to be further discussed, Rohrer said. “All contestants are encouraged to meet with their local ICC offices in Bowling Green, Owensboro and Elizabethtown to get advice on how to commercialize their ideas,” he said.

And people with innovative ideas don’t have to wait until next year’s Buck$ for Bright Ideas program. “Anyone with any kind of idea should come and see us any time,” Rohrer said. “We’re open year round and all the offices are available to assist people with their ideas.”

The Central Region includes the following counties: Daviess, McLean, Ohio, Hancock, Butler, Logan, Simpson, Warren, Allen, Barren, Edmonson, Grayson, Breckinridge, Meade, Hardin, Nelson, Washington, Hart, Larue, Marion, Green, Taylor, Metcalfe, Adair, Cumberland and Monroe.

The following winners were announced May 2 at WKU’s Center for Research and Development:

• Game Changers: Frank Klein of Brandenburg; Richard Lymes of Rineyville; Ron Rizzo of Bowling Green.
• Big Thinkers: Trey Copeland of Bowling Green; Erin Greunke of Bowling Green; Eric Littleton of Bowling Green.
• Dreamers: Wilnelsia Awonigi of Bowling Green; Keith Carlock of Owensboro; Jenniffer Dixon of Elizabethtown; Samuel Hunt of Bowling Green; Tau Le of Elizabethtown; Douglas Mitchell of Hodgenville; Scott Norris of Owensboro.

Contact: Doug Rohrer, (270) 901-3490.

WKU faculty member leading Habitat service trip to Trinidad and Tobago

Bryan Reaka, a faculty member in WKU’s Department of Architectural and Manufacturing Sciences, will be leading a Habitat for Humanity International Global Village short-term service trip to Trinidad and Tobago on May 19-27.

The team will consist primarily of members of the WKU Campus Chapter of Habitat for Humanity, alumni and others who are willing to carry out the vision statement of Habitat for Humanity International and become a world where “everyone has a decent place to live.”

The Global Village Program of Habitat for Humanity International is a building and cultural exchange program. Habitat, and its Global Village Program, challenges persons from all walks of life to work with each other and impact persons living in substandard shelter in the world. Participants are challenged to get their hands dirty and toil under the sun with people from different backgrounds, usually people with whom they would not normally have interacted, and watch all the barriers disappear, creating room for mutual understanding, respect and appreciation.

Activities for the trip include building with the peoples of Trinidad and Tobago, visiting some locations in the host country, and interaction with people on a real world level to gain an appreciation for the culture and lifestyle.

In addition to Reaka, participants include: Abigail Ernst of Belleville, Ill., a former WKU student and Habitat Campus Chapter member; Jeffry Edwards of Murray, an Architectural Sciences major; Daniel Puckett of Bowling Green, an Advanced Manufacturing major; Andrew Austin of Utica, a 2012 Advanced Manufacturing graduate; Jack Rudolph of Bowling Green, head of WKU’s Department of Agriculture; Abby Greenwell of LaGrange, a 2012 Public Health graduate; Elizabeth Ebelhar of Owensboro, a Communication Disorders major; Shelly Baker of Princeton, a 2008 Physics graduate living in Rockledge, Fla., and her husband, William Baker; Christina Billings of Elizabethtown, a 2012 Radiology Technology graduate; and Jennifer O’Rourke of Americus, Ga., an employee of Habitat for Humanity International.

Contact: Bryan Reaka, (270) 745-3251.

Follow the WKU China Experience 2012

The Confucius Institute at WKU is leading 29 Zhongguo Adventurers on a two-week trip to Beijing, China, at North China Electric Power University (NCEPU).  The WKU faculty, staff, students and community members will be in China from May 16 to May 30. WKU’s China Experience 2012 begins Thursday with a “Welcome Reception” by the NCEPU faculty/staff and students, learning about the language and culture, and the day ends with a “Welcome Banquet.”  To follow WKU’s China Experience 2012, visit the group’s blog at http://confuciusinstitutechinaexperience2012.blog.wku.edu.

Nominations being accepted for Kentucky Teacher Hall of Fame

Nominations are being accepted through July 15 for the 2013 class of inductees into the Gov. Louie B. Nunn Kentucky Teacher Hall of Fame.

The nomination form is available online at http://www.wku.edu/kythf/nominations.php

The Kentucky Teacher Hall of Fame was established in 2000 through a generous gift from former Gov. Louie B. Nunn. With his gift, Nunn hoped to recognize the vital role that P-12 Kentucky teachers play in the education of young people, ultimately leading to positive impacts throughout the state’s economy. The first class was inducted in 2008.

The Hall of Fame recognizes Kentuckians who have made significant contributions to the teaching profession. Selection is made from individuals, living or deceased, who have spent a significant portion of their professional career in Kentucky and have made noteworthy contributions to the lives of children and youth in P-12 school settings.

WKU was selected as the home of the Kentucky Teacher Hall of Fame because of its 100-year history in teacher education and commitment to excellence in this field. WKU has consistently been one of the top producers of teachers, counselors, school administrators and other school personnel in the Commonwealth.

For information, contact Cathie Bryant at (270) 745-4664 or email cathie.bryant@wku.edu.

WKU Continuing Education offers human resource management courses

Through a partnership with the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM), WKU Continuing Education offers noncredit human resource management courses to help HR professionals enhance their knowledge and expand their certification.

“Essentials of Human Resource Management” is a two-day workshop for professionals at any level who deal with HR functions. The workshop is designed to strengthen employee management skills, improve effectiveness and advance participants’ human resource careers. The course is comprised of six modules, including HR Management, Employment Law, Recruitment and Selection, Compensation and Benefits, Employee Development and Performance Management. Students who complete the course receive a Certificate of Completion and the opportunity to earn CEUs. This course takes place Aug. 23-24, and registration ends July 19.

The “SHRM Learning System” is an 11-week exam preparation course designed to prepare students for the PHR or SPHR certification exam. The course provides student knowledge evaluation, guided overviews, practice exams and study plans to prepare students to achieve their professional HR designation. Continuing Education Units (CEUs) are available upon completion. This noncredit course is offered Sept. 4-Nov. 13. Registration must be completed by Aug. 2.

Both courses take place at the WKU Knicely Conference Center. More information on the human resource management courses is available online.

Contact: Sharon Woodward, 270-745-1910

Hatfield named associate dean of Gordon Ford College of Business

Dr. Bob Hatfield, Executive MBA Coordinator and Professor of Management, was recently selected as the Associate Dean of Graduate Programs and Research in the Gordon Ford College of Business at WKU.

Dr. Bob Hatfield

Dr. Hatfield’s appointment will begin July 1 and is subject to approval by the WKU Board of Regents.

According to Dr. Jeff Katz, Dean of the Gordon Ford College of Business: “Dr. Hatfield will continue to lead our college in creating and implementing MBA programs but will also become our point person for advancing all graduate programs offered by our college, creating and offering non-credit executive education programs and expanding funded and applied research.  Dr. Hatfield’s significant expertise with graduate programs will be critically important as we advance our high quality graduate education and research initiatives.”

The WKU MBA program has grown to include the new Professional MBA (PMBA) program and an accelerated full-time program under the leadership of Dr. Hatfield.  A number of achievements have recently been accomplished: the PMBA “weekend” program is now offered at the Owensboro campus; the full-time program is the only MBA program in the state with a sustainability concentration; and WKU graduates ranked in the top 20 percent in the nation in a standardized assessment.

“I look forward to advancing the wonderful selection of graduate degrees now offered in the Gordon Ford College,” Dr. Hatfield said.  “Our new Masters in Accountancy (MAcc), our Masters of Arts in Applied Economics, and our MBA add together to provide our region with three excellent choices for an advanced business degree.”

WKU and the Gordon Ford College of Business are both dedicated to supporting funded and applied research, Dr. Hatfield said. “I am very excited about developing training and development programs which will serve our thriving businesses and organizations.”

Dr. Hatfield has co-authored six textbooks, published dozens of research articles, and has won teaching honors at two different universities.  He holds the Lessenberry Endowed Chair for Business Education at WKU and has served as Chair of Management, Marketing, and Real Estate at Morehead State University.  Dr. Hatfield has taught seminars, led study-abroad programs and developed international relationships in seven nations including China, France, Spain and India.  Dr. Hatfield won the 2011 Vitale Award for Initiative, Innovation, & Leadership in the college.  Dr. Hatfield also serves as an experienced management consultant.

The Gordon Ford College of Business is among an elite group of business colleges accredited in both business and accounting by AACSB International.  The college also maintains four Centers of Excellence that specialize in applied programs in economics, entrepreneurship, professional selling, and the study of capitalism.

Contact: Kristina Harvey, (270) 745- 2279.

WKU wins Hearst multimedia title; 4 students named national finalists

WKU’s School of Journalism & Broadcasting has won the Intercollegiate Multimedia Championship in the 52^nd annual Hearst Journalism Awards Program and four students will compete for photojournalism and multimedia national championships.

Brynn Anderson of Bowling Green, Christian Randolph of Oxnard, Calif., and Armando Sanchez of Clovis, Calif., are among six finalists for the photojournalism championship while Zack Conkle of Louisville is one of five finalists for the multimedia championship. The championships will be held June 4-8 in San Francisco.

In the fourth multimedia competition of the year, WKU students finished third in the team reporting category. Team members were Alyssa Orr of Albany, N.Y.; Elizabeth Frantz of Ithaca, N.Y.; Zack Conkle of Louisville; Luke Sharrett of Forest, Va.; Kelly Lafferty of Shelbyville; Chris Wilson of Louisville; Chris Fryer of Louisville; Lauren Lorance of Jeffersonville, Ind.; Megan Tan of Columbus, Ohio; Sarah Gerace of Bowling Green; Leslye Davis of Greensburg; and Sam Oldenburg of Owatanna, Minn.

WKU won the Hearst multimedia competition and was followed by University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill; University of Missouri; University of Nebraska; University of Montana; Arizona State University; Pennsylvania State University; Syracuse University; University of Florida; and University of Oregon.

Often called the “Pulitzers of College Journalism,” the Hearst program holds yearlong competitions in writing, photojournalism, broadcast news and multimedia offering up to $500,000 in scholarships, matching grants and stipends. Points from each competition are calculated to determine the Overall Intercollegiate winners, which will be announced in May. WKU placed third overall in the 2010-11 Hearst program and has ranked among the top eight nationally for 18 consecutive years.

Earlier this spring, WKU won the Intercollegiate Photojournalism Competition for the fourth consecutive year and 20^th time in 23 years. Ten WKU students have won the Hearst program’s individual photojournalism championship — 1987, 1988, 1991, 1992, 1996, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2008 and 2010.

Contact: School of Journalism & Broadcasting, (270) 745-4144.